toothpaste

[Little Chicken]

Just a quick question...when should I start using toothpaste with DD? the packages just say for kids under six but not a starting age. Anybody know?

[~Minny~]

We started using toothpaste with DD when she was 12 months old by then she had the majority of her teeth so felt we needed to clean them with something a bit more than water. She still at 2.5 only has a small smidge of toothpaste on the brush.

[~Kim~]

Colgate make a 1-6years toothpaste.

[Fuzzywuzzy]

We've started with DD too. Our dentist said to use a small amount the size of her fingernail. HTH

[~clover~]

You should wait til they can spit it out at least.

[Fuzzywuzzy]

You should wait til they can spit it out at least.

It doesn't matter if you use a non fluoride toothpaste and you only use such a small amount

[Janie]

Actually, baby toothpaste does have fluoride, it's just a smaller amount. You don't need to use it, and shouldn't, until the child can spit well.....so about 3.

[Olive]

janies right!! i used a fluoride free one from the health food shop until DD1 could spit it out, its called snappy jaws

[Fuzzywuzzy]

Actually, baby toothpaste does have fluoride, it's just a smaller amount. You don't need to use it, and shouldn't, until the child can spit well.....so about 3.

couldn't agree more, the one we use doesn't have fluoride in it either

[Little Chicken]

I've got a macleans one that has "low fluoride". Might try her tonight and see how she goes. Thanks everyone for your help.

[Janie]

Yes, sorry, the readily available 'baby' toothpastes have some fluoride in them.

Muminalice, if you can encourage your DD to spit the toothpaste out, and rinse, then she should be fine. If she's not up to that yet then it may be a good idea to wait a bit longer, as there is such thing as too much fluoride . Having said that though, is your tap water fluoridated? I'm guessing not?

[Little Chicken]

I thought all public tap water was fluoridated?

[Fruit Tingles]

I thought all public tap water was fluoridated?

It is.

We started DD on toothpaste at 18 months, as she was insistent on using toothpaste. So we got her some non-fluoride toothpaste. Makes brushing teeth time SO much easier

[Janie]

Most is, but there are plenty of rural areas that aren't. I wasn't sure about Alice Anyway, if it is, you don't need to worry about toothpaste. But if you're really keen to use it, you can get a fluoride-free one, to avoid overexposing your LO to it. HTHs I'm all for making tooth brushing time easier!!!

[~clover~]

No, not all public water is fluridated. Our tap water here isn't. We live in a valley with a good 50 000 people in it (under the shire).

And, as I said, as long as the child can spit it out.

[Little Chicken]

If DD likes the taste she will swallow it...she will eat anything that child. Might see if I can find a non-fluoridated one then. Once again thanks everyone

[~clover~]

Thats probably a good idea....all 3 of my children have been caught more than once walking around sucking on the kids toothpaste tubes!!!
They do have fresh breath

[surprised]

I use a really nice (if you think of toothpaste as nice!) one called Grants. It's all natural, no fluoride. Sometimes I accidentally use Dh's normal toothpaste and it tastes awful! Got it from health food shop (not too expensive - only a bit more than normal toothpaste), but I believe some supermarkets carry it.